Pluto (Astro Boy)
Encyclopedia
, known as Bruton in the English dubbed 1980 Astro Boy television series, is a fictional character
created by Osamu Tezuka
. He was introduced in story arc
of the Astro Boy manga
.
He then appeared in numerous appearances, such as the 1980s series and the 2003 series remake
. He even appeared in his own manga
. The robot is presumerably named after Pluto
, the god of the underworld
.
. His master, a fallen and corrupt sultan
named Chochi Chochi Ababa the Third, orders him to fight and destroy Earth's mightiest robots. This is so that he might become "king of the robot world".
Pluto does not show any joy or sadness (or really any emotion) when destroying his enemies, claiming to be only obeying his master. Because of this, he refuses to take part in any sort of activity that doesn't have anything to do with fighting, nor does he care about anything else, claiming to be a "fighting robot". However, he is shown to never shy away from a fight, even after knowing that defeat is inevitable (such as when he promises Astro
to not forget him, after going on bravely to fight Bora). He is also shown to be loyal to his master.
, plus various powers in order for it to become the "Strongest Robot in the World". Named Pluto, his first target is a Swiss mountain robot with 135,000 horsepower named Mont-Blanc, which was an easy victim, as Pluto was a complete stranger to him and he did not suspect the attack.
With Mont-Blanc finished, Pluto then goes on to fight Astro, who was not at home (plus Professor Ochanomizu
insisted on Astro not fighting, much to the annoyance of Uran). As Astro himself does not engage in battle, Uran pretends to be Astro in order to fight Pluto however is no match for Pluto's horsepower and strength. Overcome, Pluto holds Uran captive as a way of forcing Astro to fight. Enraged, Astro follows in hot pursuit.
Meanwhile, Pluto then goes to fight Molnar, a fearsome beetle-like butler robot, which is no match for Pluto's strength, being defeated almost instantly. Seeking Astro, he and Astro again meet (which so happens to be in Turkey
) which by chance is the residence of the next robot, Brando. Sharing similar strengths and weaknesses, Pluto just defeats Brando - and only just - and he also was a consequence was heavily damaged, and shall die if his masters do not come instantly. In order for them to come, a button on his chest has to be pushed which sends a distress signal. However, as there is no-one else nearby and he himself is unable to move his arms, the only way for the button to be pushed is if Astro pushes it.
Pluto quickly hands over Uran, and begs Astro to push the button. After much thought and consideration, Astro agrees. His masters come and collects Pluto and plants a suicide bomb in his chest; should someone defeat him, that someone would also be destroyed. Pluto then faces his next target, a German
robot detective named Gerhardt, made out of a unique material named "Zeronium", which takes the form of a protective metal alloy. Gerhardt's machine guns prove ineffective against Pluto's shield, and he is also destroyed.
Astro, who was informed of the battle beforehand and sees the result of Gerhardt on the news, realises that Pluto must be stopped as no robot is a match for Pluto, however realises that Pluto is simply too powerful for even him: so he thinks up a solution; ask Ochanomizu to increase his horsepower instantly. Flying over to the ministry of science, Astro finds Ochanomizu "already busy", since he has tracked down Pluto's hideout by monitoring his movements, and flies over by plane to the hideout. Unable to convince the Sultan, he is held captive and the only way where he allows him to go is when Astro fights Pluto. Ochanomizu reluctantly agrees, and Astro and Pluto meet in the desert, unluckily right in the middle of an oil field
. If the oil explodes, the impact would be massive: he refuses to fight, and as a result Pluto holds Astro in his hands and prepares to tear him apart, but then spares his life as he remembers that Astro saved him once.
Reminding Astro he would only do it once, Pluto takes off and fights Hercules
, a Greek gladiator robot with a high sense of nobleness and bravery. He soon becomes another victim of Pluto.
Meanwhile, at Astro's place of residence, he receives a phone call from the southern continent
. The caller is Epsilon, which except for Astro the sole remaining member of the strongest robots in the world. Epsilon is a robot with an androgynous personality that takes care of kindergarten children. As he needs sunlight, Pluto promptly chooses their day of the battle on a stormy day, therefore Epsilon would not be at his full strength. Epsilon also is destroyed after risking his life to save a lost infant.
Astro arrives late, and the duo prepares to fight to the finish; the scientist however refuses, claiming the battle would take place on the Mountain of Tears, a volcano
. While the battle rages on, the volcano explodes. Astro quickly tries to stop an impeding explosion, but fails: two robots are needed to effectively cover up the volcano itself. Pluto, after watching for a while, eventually helps Astro, implying that he has learnt to value of human life. The threat is stopped, however, the scientist reveals his secret invention, a superobot named Bora with 2 million horsepower. Pluto, realises that defeat is unavoidable, asks Uran not to forget him and then sacrifices himself. Bora and Pluto are then involved in an explosion, while Pluto is destroyed Bora emerges unharmed. Astro fights Bora by tearing the robot apart. Afterward, it is revealed that the scientist isn't human (much to the surprise of the Sultan) but his former robot servant, which built Pluto and Bora to show that horsepower isn't the only way to win a battle.
in the episodes The Rise of Pluto and The Fall of Acheron. Built by Shadow (a robot which is in turn built by Dr. Tenma) in order to help Astro evolve, he is shown to be often careless and heartless, with the sole thought of defeating his enemies and fulfilling his purpose (similar in a way to the 1980s series), and because of this does not display any sorrow or emotion to those who he has defeated.
Pluto's method of attacking is a set of homing missiles located in his chest (unlike the horns he used in the 1980s series) as well as some other tactics (depending on the robot he is facing). Every time during battle he is nearly destroyed, however always foils his opponent's method after discovering a "weakness" or a potential flaw that he could use to his advantage. He is also given the ability to analyse and detect these flaws.
Eventually, he develops emotions and a sense of kindness, shown when he sacrificed himself in order to stop Acheron, a robot duplicate of himself, from harming Astro and Zoran (whom he shares a relationship with). He was later rebuilt during the robot war
near the end of the series, where he was one of Astro's allies.
The Pluto episodes are actually a 2003 remake of The Greatest Robot in the World story arc, and Pluto is actually the 2003 version of the character Bruton in the 1980s series. Because of this, the characters Pluto fight are also remakes (e.g. Epsilon is actually Photar), although the final character that defeats him is different (he was defeated by Acheron in the 2003 series, Bora in the 1980s). His purpose also differs dramatically from the two series.
Also, many of the robots (Mont-Blanc, North #2, Brando) reappeared, not as a robot Pluto chooses to fight but as minions of Grudon.
s and robot
s, and is extremely powerful, possessing some control over the weather by generating fierce tornadoes. He goes on to kill the entire "Bora Investigation Squad", always leaving behind a corpse with horn-like protrusions next to it.
Despite this, "Pluto" is actually Sahad, a peaceful, quaint, robot with a strong affinity towards nature and who wished to fill his desolated country of Persia full of flowers. He was created by the Persian Minister of Science, Dr. Abullah. Devastated by the 39th Middle-East War, with his country left in shambles and his family dead, Abullah came to harbor an intense hatred and vowed revenge. He died during the war as a result of a bombing, but before dying, he left the genius Japan
ese scientist, Dr. Tenma (creator of Atom, the story's version of Astro Boy), with a chip containing part of his brain, and full of Abullah's hatred towards the world. Tenma used the chip to awaken the perfect AI he and Abullah had been working on (due to being programmed with 6 billion personalities, the robot would take an infinite amount of time to simulate all the possibilities and would never awaken; Tenma had theorized that this could be overcome by programming intense, polarizing emotions into it, such as hatred, rage, and despair). The robot awoke, and despite believing itself to be Abullah, it also created a second personality, "Goji".
"Abullah" proceeded to create Pluto, and inserted Sahad's AI into the robot. Goji went on to create "Bora", another, much bigger robot, which was left underground; his plan was to insert his AI into Bora, and tunnel underground, causing a massive eruption that would destroy the planet.
Atom, who had been left in a similar state to that of Tenma's perfect AI due to an attack by Pluto, is reawakened by Tenma, who inserts a chip containing Gesicht (the main character)'s hatred and a recording of his moment of death (as he was defeated and then destroyed by Pluto). Initially he behaves oddly, but after some time, seemingly reverts back to his former self. After learning the whole truth of Gesicht's case, he heads to the source of the cataclysm in hopes of stopping it. He comes face to face with Pluto, who attacks him. At first, Atom is overcome by Gesicht's hatred and attempts to destroy Pluto, citing all the robots he'd killed did not want or deserve death, and rips off Pluto's horns and one of his arms in the process. However, he then hears Gesicht's last words in his mind: "Nothing comes from hatred". Suddenly full of understanding, Atom and Pluto cease their attack on another and proceed to lie down for a few moments. Soon afterwards, Atom goes to disarm Bora, with Pluto (whom Astro has begun referring to as Sahad) at his side. Bora attempts to dissuade Sahad, who rejects him, stating that his father has long been dead, and the AI controlling Bora is nothing more than a fake. He ends up sacrificing himself, saving Atom and the world from the disaster in the process.
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
created by Osamu Tezuka
Osamu Tezuka
was a Japanese cartoonist, manga artist, animator, producer, activist and medical doctor, although he never practiced medicine. Born in Osaka Prefecture, he is best known as the creator of Astro Boy, Kimba the White Lion and Black Jack...
. He was introduced in story arc
Story arc
A story arc is an extended or continuing storyline in episodic storytelling media such as television, comic books, comic strips, boardgames, video games, and in some cases, films. On a television program, for example, the story would unfold over many episodes. In television, the use of the story...
of the Astro Boy manga
Manga
Manga is the Japanese word for "comics" and consists of comics and print cartoons . In the West, the term "manga" has been appropriated to refer specifically to comics created in Japan, or by Japanese authors, in the Japanese language and conforming to the style developed in Japan in the late 19th...
.
He then appeared in numerous appearances, such as the 1980s series and the 2003 series remake
Astro Boy (2003)
is a remake of the 1960s anime series of the same name created by Osamu Tezuka, which was produced by his company, Tezuka Productions, and the anime television network, Animax, who have broadcast the series across its respective networks worldwide, including Japan, Southeast Asia, South Asia, East...
. He even appeared in his own manga
Pluto (manga)
is a manga series by Naoki Urasawa published in Shogakukan's Big Comic Original from 2003 to 2009. It has been licensed for release in English by Viz Media, under the name Pluto: Urasawa x Tezuka. Takashi Nagasaki is credited as the series' co-author...
. The robot is presumerably named after Pluto
Pluto (mythology)
In ancient Greek religion and myth, Pluto was a name for the ruler of the underworld; the god was also known as Hades, a name for the underworld itself...
, the god of the underworld
Underworld
The Underworld is a region which is thought to be under the surface of the earth in some religions and in mythologies. It could be a place where the souls of the recently departed go, and in some traditions it is identified with Hell or the realm of death...
.
Character Overview
With his giant horns, Pluto was created to be the world's most powerful robotRobot
A robot is a mechanical or virtual intelligent agent that can perform tasks automatically or with guidance, typically by remote control. In practice a robot is usually an electro-mechanical machine that is guided by computer and electronic programming. Robots can be autonomous, semi-autonomous or...
. His master, a fallen and corrupt sultan
Sultan
Sultan is a title with several historical meanings. Originally, it was an Arabic language abstract noun meaning "strength", "authority", "rulership", and "dictatorship", derived from the masdar سلطة , meaning "authority" or "power". Later, it came to be used as the title of certain rulers who...
named Chochi Chochi Ababa the Third, orders him to fight and destroy Earth's mightiest robots. This is so that he might become "king of the robot world".
Pluto does not show any joy or sadness (or really any emotion) when destroying his enemies, claiming to be only obeying his master. Because of this, he refuses to take part in any sort of activity that doesn't have anything to do with fighting, nor does he care about anything else, claiming to be a "fighting robot". However, he is shown to never shy away from a fight, even after knowing that defeat is inevitable (such as when he promises Astro
Astro Boy (character)
is a fictional character, and the main protagonist of the Astro Boy franchise. Created by Osamu Tezuka, the character was introduced in the 1951 Captain Atom manga...
to not forget him, after going on bravely to fight Bora). He is also shown to be loyal to his master.
Plot
A Sultan wants to be the ruler of the robot world, so he hires a scientist to build a robot. It must have 1 million horsepowerHorsepower
Horsepower is the name of several units of measurement of power. The most common definitions equal between 735.5 and 750 watts.Horsepower was originally defined to compare the output of steam engines with the power of draft horses in continuous operation. The unit was widely adopted to measure the...
, plus various powers in order for it to become the "Strongest Robot in the World". Named Pluto, his first target is a Swiss mountain robot with 135,000 horsepower named Mont-Blanc, which was an easy victim, as Pluto was a complete stranger to him and he did not suspect the attack.
With Mont-Blanc finished, Pluto then goes on to fight Astro, who was not at home (plus Professor Ochanomizu
Professor Ochanomizu
is a fictional character in the anime and manga series Astro Boy, as well as all of its many adaptions, including the 1980s series, 2003 series, and the film. Created by Osamu Tezuka, the character has since appeared in many of his other works. He serves as a guardian to Astro, and sometimes also a...
insisted on Astro not fighting, much to the annoyance of Uran). As Astro himself does not engage in battle, Uran pretends to be Astro in order to fight Pluto however is no match for Pluto's horsepower and strength. Overcome, Pluto holds Uran captive as a way of forcing Astro to fight. Enraged, Astro follows in hot pursuit.
Meanwhile, Pluto then goes to fight Molnar, a fearsome beetle-like butler robot, which is no match for Pluto's strength, being defeated almost instantly. Seeking Astro, he and Astro again meet (which so happens to be in Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
) which by chance is the residence of the next robot, Brando. Sharing similar strengths and weaknesses, Pluto just defeats Brando - and only just - and he also was a consequence was heavily damaged, and shall die if his masters do not come instantly. In order for them to come, a button on his chest has to be pushed which sends a distress signal. However, as there is no-one else nearby and he himself is unable to move his arms, the only way for the button to be pushed is if Astro pushes it.
Pluto quickly hands over Uran, and begs Astro to push the button. After much thought and consideration, Astro agrees. His masters come and collects Pluto and plants a suicide bomb in his chest; should someone defeat him, that someone would also be destroyed. Pluto then faces his next target, a German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
robot detective named Gerhardt, made out of a unique material named "Zeronium", which takes the form of a protective metal alloy. Gerhardt's machine guns prove ineffective against Pluto's shield, and he is also destroyed.
Astro, who was informed of the battle beforehand and sees the result of Gerhardt on the news, realises that Pluto must be stopped as no robot is a match for Pluto, however realises that Pluto is simply too powerful for even him: so he thinks up a solution; ask Ochanomizu to increase his horsepower instantly. Flying over to the ministry of science, Astro finds Ochanomizu "already busy", since he has tracked down Pluto's hideout by monitoring his movements, and flies over by plane to the hideout. Unable to convince the Sultan, he is held captive and the only way where he allows him to go is when Astro fights Pluto. Ochanomizu reluctantly agrees, and Astro and Pluto meet in the desert, unluckily right in the middle of an oil field
Oil field
An oil field is a region with an abundance of oil wells extracting petroleum from below ground. Because the oil reservoirs typically extend over a large area, possibly several hundred kilometres across, full exploitation entails multiple wells scattered across the area...
. If the oil explodes, the impact would be massive: he refuses to fight, and as a result Pluto holds Astro in his hands and prepares to tear him apart, but then spares his life as he remembers that Astro saved him once.
Reminding Astro he would only do it once, Pluto takes off and fights Hercules
Hercules
Hercules is the Roman name for Greek demigod Heracles, son of Zeus , and the mortal Alcmene...
, a Greek gladiator robot with a high sense of nobleness and bravery. He soon becomes another victim of Pluto.
Meanwhile, at Astro's place of residence, he receives a phone call from the southern continent
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. The caller is Epsilon, which except for Astro the sole remaining member of the strongest robots in the world. Epsilon is a robot with an androgynous personality that takes care of kindergarten children. As he needs sunlight, Pluto promptly chooses their day of the battle on a stormy day, therefore Epsilon would not be at his full strength. Epsilon also is destroyed after risking his life to save a lost infant.
Astro arrives late, and the duo prepares to fight to the finish; the scientist however refuses, claiming the battle would take place on the Mountain of Tears, a volcano
Volcano
2. Bedrock3. Conduit 4. Base5. Sill6. Dike7. Layers of ash emitted by the volcano8. Flank| 9. Layers of lava emitted by the volcano10. Throat11. Parasitic cone12. Lava flow13. Vent14. Crater15...
. While the battle rages on, the volcano explodes. Astro quickly tries to stop an impeding explosion, but fails: two robots are needed to effectively cover up the volcano itself. Pluto, after watching for a while, eventually helps Astro, implying that he has learnt to value of human life. The threat is stopped, however, the scientist reveals his secret invention, a superobot named Bora with 2 million horsepower. Pluto, realises that defeat is unavoidable, asks Uran not to forget him and then sacrifices himself. Bora and Pluto are then involved in an explosion, while Pluto is destroyed Bora emerges unharmed. Astro fights Bora by tearing the robot apart. Afterward, it is revealed that the scientist isn't human (much to the surprise of the Sultan) but his former robot servant, which built Pluto and Bora to show that horsepower isn't the only way to win a battle.
Confrontations
Throughout his appearance in the 1980 series, Pluto confronts the following robots:- Mont-Blanc is a Swiss mountain robot with 135,000 horsepower (100 MW).
- North #2 (Molnar in the English dub) is a ScottishScotlandScotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
butlerButlerA butler is a domestic worker in a large household. In great houses, the household is sometimes divided into departments with the butler in charge of the dining room, wine cellar, and pantry. Some also have charge of the entire parlour floor, and housekeepers caring for the entire house and its...
robot with six mechanical armed arms.
- Brando (Brondo in the English dub) is a TurkishTurkeyTurkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
robot wrestler.
- Gerhardt (Zeron in the English dub) is a GermanGermanyGermany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
robot inspector covered with a protective goldGoldGold is a chemical element with the symbol Au and an atomic number of 79. Gold is a dense, soft, shiny, malleable and ductile metal. Pure gold has a bright yellow color and luster traditionally considered attractive, which it maintains without oxidizing in air or water. Chemically, gold is a...
-like alloyAlloyAn alloy is a mixture or metallic solid solution composed of two or more elements. Complete solid solution alloys give single solid phase microstructure, while partial solutions give two or more phases that may or may not be homogeneous in distribution, depending on thermal history...
called Zeronium. In Naoki UrasawaNaoki Urasawais a Japanese manga artist.-Early life:He graduated from Meisei University with a degree in economics. In 2008, Urasawa had a guest teaching post at Nagoya Zokei University, where he taught classes on manga.-Manga career:...
's version, his name is Gesicht, which is German for face.
- HerculesHerculesHercules is the Roman name for Greek demigod Heracles, son of Zeus , and the mortal Alcmene...
is a GreekGreeksThe Greeks, also known as the Hellenes , are a nation and ethnic group native to Greece, Cyprus and neighboring regions. They also form a significant diaspora, with Greek communities established around the world....
robot with high sense of honor and bravery. In Naoki Urasawa's version his name is Heracles.
- EpsilonEpsilonEpsilon is the fifth letter of the Greek alphabet, corresponding phonetically to a close-mid front unrounded vowel . In the system of Greek numerals it has a value of 5. It was derived from the Phoenician letter He...
(Photar in the English dub) is an AustraliaAustraliaAustralia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n light-poweredQuantumIn physics, a quantum is the minimum amount of any physical entity involved in an interaction. Behind this, one finds the fundamental notion that a physical property may be "quantized," referred to as "the hypothesis of quantization". This means that the magnitude can take on only certain discrete...
effeminate and sensitive robot who looks after local children and dislikes fighting.
- Astro BoyAstro Boy (character)is a fictional character, and the main protagonist of the Astro Boy franchise. Created by Osamu Tezuka, the character was introduced in the 1951 Captain Atom manga...
is a JapanJapanJapan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese boyBoyA boy is a young male human , as contrasted to its female counterpart, girl, or an adult male, a man.The term "boy" is primarily used to indicate biological sex distinctions, cultural gender role distinctions or both...
robot with 100,000 horsepower (75 MW). Although he asks Professor OchanomizuProfessor Ochanomizuis a fictional character in the anime and manga series Astro Boy, as well as all of its many adaptions, including the 1980s series, 2003 series, and the film. Created by Osamu Tezuka, the character has since appeared in many of his other works. He serves as a guardian to Astro, and sometimes also a...
to increase his horsepowerHorsepowerHorsepower is the name of several units of measurement of power. The most common definitions equal between 735.5 and 750 watts.Horsepower was originally defined to compare the output of steam engines with the power of draft horses in continuous operation. The unit was widely adopted to measure the...
, he refuses, saying that mere strength isn't enough to win a battle. He eventually befriends Pluto (or, as a matter of fact, Pluto befriends him).
- Bora is a mysterious and extremely strong robot with 2,000,000 horsepower (1500 MW) and can launch a destructive katabatic windKatabatic windA katabatic wind, from the Greek word katabatikos meaning "going downhill", is the technical name for a drainage wind, a wind that carries high density air from a higher elevation down a slope under the force of gravity. Such winds are sometimes also called fall winds...
simply by screaming his own name. He is the robot who finally defeats Pluto.
Relationships with other Characters
- Uran. In both the 1980s and 2003 series, Pluto is shown to have a "soft spot" for Uran, Astro's robot sister. The reason to this relationship is unknown, however it might have been partly inspired by their first encounter, when Uran dressed up as Astro in order to fight Pluto, however is then shown to be no match for Pluto's horsepower and strength. When Pluto left to face Bora, he asked Astro a message to relay to Uran: telling her to "never forget him", implying that he has fallen in love with her.
Character Overview
In the 2003 series, Pluto is shown to be the primary antagonistAntagonist
An antagonist is a character, group of characters, or institution, that represents the opposition against which the protagonist must contend...
in the episodes The Rise of Pluto and The Fall of Acheron. Built by Shadow (a robot which is in turn built by Dr. Tenma) in order to help Astro evolve, he is shown to be often careless and heartless, with the sole thought of defeating his enemies and fulfilling his purpose (similar in a way to the 1980s series), and because of this does not display any sorrow or emotion to those who he has defeated.
Pluto's method of attacking is a set of homing missiles located in his chest (unlike the horns he used in the 1980s series) as well as some other tactics (depending on the robot he is facing). Every time during battle he is nearly destroyed, however always foils his opponent's method after discovering a "weakness" or a potential flaw that he could use to his advantage. He is also given the ability to analyse and detect these flaws.
Eventually, he develops emotions and a sense of kindness, shown when he sacrificed himself in order to stop Acheron, a robot duplicate of himself, from harming Astro and Zoran (whom he shares a relationship with). He was later rebuilt during the robot war
Cybernetic revolt
Cybernetic revolt or robot uprising is a scenario in which an artificial intelligence decide that humans are a threat , are inferior, or are oppressors and try to destroy or to enslave them potentially leading to...
near the end of the series, where he was one of Astro's allies.
The Pluto episodes are actually a 2003 remake of The Greatest Robot in the World story arc, and Pluto is actually the 2003 version of the character Bruton in the 1980s series. Because of this, the characters Pluto fight are also remakes (e.g. Epsilon is actually Photar), although the final character that defeats him is different (he was defeated by Acheron in the 2003 series, Bora in the 1980s). His purpose also differs dramatically from the two series.
Confrontations
Many of the robots that Pluto faced in the 1980 series reappeared in the 2003 remake (the majority having a completely altered appearance), along with some new ones.- Harley is a robot that plays "rocket ball". He was the team captain and the best player on his team, however failed to score when Pluto was defending. Pluto than destroyed him.
- Delta is a policePoliceThe police is a personification of the state designated to put in practice the enforced law, protect property and reduce civil disorder in civilian matters. Their powers include the legitimized use of force...
robot that serves as the head of the "anti-robot robot squad". He was eventually defeated by Pluto also.
- Hercules is a gladiatorGladiatorA gladiator was an armed combatant who entertained audiences in the Roman Republic and Roman Empire in violent confrontations with other gladiators, wild animals, and condemned criminals. Some gladiators were volunteers who risked their legal and social standing and their lives by appearing in the...
robot that fights in a colosseumColosseumThe Colosseum, or the Coliseum, originally the Flavian Amphitheatre , is an elliptical amphitheatre in the centre of the city of Rome, Italy, the largest ever built in the Roman Empire...
-like building. He was the reigning champion until Pluto defeated him in a match showdown.
- Epsilon is a female robot that monitors Metro City's weather. She was defeated by Pluto after her love for marine creatures proves to be her weakness.
- Astro Boy.
Also, many of the robots (Mont-Blanc, North #2, Brando) reappeared, not as a robot Pluto chooses to fight but as minions of Grudon.
Manga
Urasawa's Pluto is significantly darker as he is seemingly capable of murdering humanHuman
Humans are the only living species in the Homo genus...
s and robot
Robot
A robot is a mechanical or virtual intelligent agent that can perform tasks automatically or with guidance, typically by remote control. In practice a robot is usually an electro-mechanical machine that is guided by computer and electronic programming. Robots can be autonomous, semi-autonomous or...
s, and is extremely powerful, possessing some control over the weather by generating fierce tornadoes. He goes on to kill the entire "Bora Investigation Squad", always leaving behind a corpse with horn-like protrusions next to it.
Despite this, "Pluto" is actually Sahad, a peaceful, quaint, robot with a strong affinity towards nature and who wished to fill his desolated country of Persia full of flowers. He was created by the Persian Minister of Science, Dr. Abullah. Devastated by the 39th Middle-East War, with his country left in shambles and his family dead, Abullah came to harbor an intense hatred and vowed revenge. He died during the war as a result of a bombing, but before dying, he left the genius Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese scientist, Dr. Tenma (creator of Atom, the story's version of Astro Boy), with a chip containing part of his brain, and full of Abullah's hatred towards the world. Tenma used the chip to awaken the perfect AI he and Abullah had been working on (due to being programmed with 6 billion personalities, the robot would take an infinite amount of time to simulate all the possibilities and would never awaken; Tenma had theorized that this could be overcome by programming intense, polarizing emotions into it, such as hatred, rage, and despair). The robot awoke, and despite believing itself to be Abullah, it also created a second personality, "Goji".
"Abullah" proceeded to create Pluto, and inserted Sahad's AI into the robot. Goji went on to create "Bora", another, much bigger robot, which was left underground; his plan was to insert his AI into Bora, and tunnel underground, causing a massive eruption that would destroy the planet.
Atom, who had been left in a similar state to that of Tenma's perfect AI due to an attack by Pluto, is reawakened by Tenma, who inserts a chip containing Gesicht (the main character)'s hatred and a recording of his moment of death (as he was defeated and then destroyed by Pluto). Initially he behaves oddly, but after some time, seemingly reverts back to his former self. After learning the whole truth of Gesicht's case, he heads to the source of the cataclysm in hopes of stopping it. He comes face to face with Pluto, who attacks him. At first, Atom is overcome by Gesicht's hatred and attempts to destroy Pluto, citing all the robots he'd killed did not want or deserve death, and rips off Pluto's horns and one of his arms in the process. However, he then hears Gesicht's last words in his mind: "Nothing comes from hatred". Suddenly full of understanding, Atom and Pluto cease their attack on another and proceed to lie down for a few moments. Soon afterwards, Atom goes to disarm Bora, with Pluto (whom Astro has begun referring to as Sahad) at his side. Bora attempts to dissuade Sahad, who rejects him, stating that his father has long been dead, and the AI controlling Bora is nothing more than a fake. He ends up sacrificing himself, saving Atom and the world from the disaster in the process.
Other appearances
- Pluto appears as a boss in the Omega FactorAstro Boy: Omega Factoris a beat 'em up video game developed by Treasure Co. Ltd and Hitmaker, and published by Sega. The game was released for the Game Boy Advance console on December 18, 2003 in Japan; August 18, 2004 in North America; and February 18, 2005 in Europe. The game is based on Osamu Tezuka's manga and anime...
videogame for the Game Boy AdvanceGame Boy AdvanceThe is a 32-bit handheld video game console developed, manufactured, and marketed by Nintendo. It is the successor to the Game Boy Color. It was released in Japan on March 21, 2001; in North America on June 11, 2001; in Australia and Europe on June 22, 2001; and in the People's Republic of China...
. It is a game based on the 2003 Astro Boy television series.
- According to game makers, Pluto will be featured in the upcoming iPhoneIPhoneThe iPhone is a line of Internet and multimedia-enabled smartphones marketed by Apple Inc. The first iPhone was unveiled by Steve Jobs, then CEO of Apple, on January 9, 2007, and released on June 29, 2007...
game Astro Boy: Tap Tap RushAstro Boy: Tap Tap RushAstro Boy: Tap Tap Rush is a video game for iOS. The release date coincides with the 60th anniversary of Osamu Tezuka's Astro Boy. It was released in January 2011...